Undercover Innocents
by jemimadaisy
Summary: Three CHERUB agents are asked to infiltrate and investigate a top secret organisation, Torchwood, when it's leader, Jack Harkness, breaks down and is sentenced to life imprisonment. What is going on, and can Jack be saved?
1. Introduction

0900 HOURS, CHERUB CAMPUS

The three CHERUB agents were eating breakfast when John Jones, mission controller, pounced. Almost throwing envelopes marked 'confidential' onto the table, he spoke in a hurry.

"Hello guys, this will be rather quick I'm afraid." He flashed an apologetic smile. "Just read the envelopes, and turn up at the mission control building at 1600 hours, if that's okay..."

Eight astonished faces watched the balding man sprint off. James, Kyle and Lauren, the subjects of John's frantic speech, grinned, while Kerry, Connor, Mo and Shakeel glared in envy.

"Jammy gits!"

In three days, all eight were scheduled for an advanced combat training course, and while no longer led by the dreaded Norman Large, Kazakov was just as bad and knew all of the tricks in the book.

"He seems agitated though, I wonder what's wrong. Must be a big mission on his mind... I just hope it's not ours..." Lauren's concerned gaze followed John's rapid exit.

"Don't worry, sis, in just seven hours, we're gonna find out!" James spoke with enthusiasm. _"Anything_ is better than that bloody Kazakov. He's insane!"

Kyle interrupted James' ranting, "Looks like something big, Lauren's right. As long as I'm in the middle if it, It's all good!"

The whole table grinned.

0900 HOURS, TORCHWOOD HUB

"I just don't... no, they're here...of course... yup... okay, on our way... yes we'll hurry... okay bye..."

Ianto and Tosh looked up from their computers, alarmed faces turned towards Gwen. "What's he done? Is he alright? What's going on, Gwen?" Ianto's concerned expression broke her heart, as Gwen thought of the tea- boy's relationship with the man breaking down on the other end of the phone.

"He... sorry Ianto, he's in police custody, don't know exactly what's going on, but I promised that we'd be there. He sounded like he'd been crying, I spoke to Andy, everything's up in the air, come on. He took the SUV, we'll have to take your car, Yan."

Face darkening at the nickname, Ianto hurried out of the hub, Tosh following closely behind. "Shit... Owen?"

"I heard, Gwen." The young doctor was hurrying out of the medical bay carrying a bag full of equipment. Answering Gwen's quizzical look, Owen explained. "The intercom was on."

Parking outside the police station, the team was rewarded with a glare from PC Andy. "You took you're time. Look, I've got no bloody idea what's going on, it's driving me insane! They've posted me outside! I'm a PC for Christ's sake, not a bloody guard dog!"

The team hurried inside, sharing a dark look. They were met by half a dozen young UNIT soldiers, each holding an M-16, each rifle pointed towards Torchwood.

"Fuck."

"Agreed."

The UNIT soldiers escorted them to a cell, where the team's captain seemed to be cowering in a corner.

"Let me in!"

Ianto flung himself into the cell and hugged Jack. Looking into each other's eyes, Ianto couldn't help but see that his brave captain looked the most vulnerable he had ever seen. At the sound of a half whispered croak, Ianto resisted the urge to pull Jack tighter.

"They're... UNIT... me..."

"He's parched! Bring him water, _now!_"

After coaxing some water down Jack's throat, Ianto tried again. "Come on, what about UNIT?"

Jacks eyes widened at an invisible terror.

"They've charged me with mass murder, con...conspiracy to murder... an...and... Ianto!"

"Come on, Jack what is it?" Ianto held Jack's face close. The next word was uttered so quietly that Ianto wasn't sure he had heard correctly, until he saw the shimmering tears glistening down his captain's cheeks.

"Treason."


	2. Anger and Tears

1600 HOURS, CHERUB CAMPUS

Facing the table was Zara Asker, chairwoman of CHERUB. She handed the three impeccably dressed CHERUBs across the table folders, then explained.

"Here are your mission briefings if you feel up to accepting..."

Kyle interrupted before another word could be spoken.

"I'm in whatever. I've got less than a year left at CHERUB, this could be my last mission, and judging by the state of anxiety John was in earlier, I'm betting it's big. I want to go out with a bang."

Zara nodded her approval.

"Hear me out first, though. Basically, there's a top secret government agency in Cardiff called Torchwood. It's boss, 'Captain Jack Harkness', is being held in police custody after admitting to various criminal charges, and we want you to go in, and find out what's going on. They have massive amounts of technology at their disposable, and are becoming increasingly dangerous. The prime minister himself has no idea how far they are, what they can do. They have almost unlimited authority, but with the captain locked up, we're hoping to bring 'em down."

The quizzical expressions of the agents in front of her stopped Zara in her tracks.

"Erm... questions?"

"What did he do?" Lauren's shocked face caused Zara's eyes to moisten.

"He tried to assassinate the prime minister. He's dangerous. He's killed millions. He... he's a serial rapist, paedophile and murderer, and has the technology to do anything without getting caught."

"Why did he get caught then?"

"He turned himself in and admitted it all."

Silence followed her words as the teenagers digested all of this information. Zara sighed, and continued.

"If you accept, you infiltrate. They have a 'hub' in Cardiff, you're on your own I'm afraid, nobody knows how to get in. All we know is that too many adults have tried and failed. Once you're in, you find as much out about them as possible. Sorry to have to be so vague."

Kyle watched Zara with concern. "There's something else, isn't there?"

"He escaped, and..."

James interrupted violently "He's still out there? So you want us to go and willingly walk into an impenetrable base with a rapist murderer inside?!"

"If you'd let me finish. He escaped, and his guards shot him. Six times in the head at point blanc range. He died. But he's still alive."

No outburst followed her words, so Zara was forced to continue.

"We think it's the technology, but can't find anything on him. You'll have to visit him during the mission."

"I'm in." James' face was ruthless. "He of all people _deserves _to die."

"Me too." Lauren whispered.

"Ditto." Kyle grinned. "Come on guys, let's do this thing! Don't think about what he's done, think about what _we're _gonna do!"

1600 HOURS, CARDIFF POLICE STATION

"On what grounds?!" Owen had been shouting at the chief UNIT officer for hours, with no result.

"He confessed."

"For the last time, he did NOT confess!"

"I was there."

"What the FU..."

"Come on Owen. Let's go back to the hub. I'll make you lunch..."

With a glare at the UNIT officers, Owen sighed. "Yeah, I suppose. Thanks Tosh.

Gwen, Owen and Tosh left, leaving Ianto and Jack huddled in the cell's corner. After hours of terrified sobs, the Captain woke up. The sky was darkened, and Jack awoke to a sleeping form in his arms. Smiling, Jack rose, sitting on the creaky mattress. Ianto turned to look at him, and raised his eyebrows. With a weak smile that made Ianto's heart lift, he began.

"All I remember is three guys forcing me to sign a confession, UNIT soldiers arriving, escaping, getting shot, waking up, and you. They... they beat me for hours Yan... they made me swear to confess in court or they'd hurt you... they put a circuit in my arm... they can electrocute me whenever they want Yan... track me... track you... you have to stay away. Stay away from me, Yan. I'm dangerous."

Sobs shook the sturdy bed frame, until the cell door opened. Soldiers had escorted Ianto out before he knew it. Shakily, he returned to the hub, and made coffee. The team was tactful enough not to mention the constant tears running down his face, or shaking hands that rendered the coffee merely average.


	3. Hate and sorrow

Apologies for the delay. Really big apologies. Hopefully this'll explain why the CHERUB's seemed a little... bloodthirsty...

***

"_Stay away from me. Just stay away."_

The words echoed around Ianto's head, as he sat outside his Captain's cell. After returning five hours ago, he had been staring at a blank spot of wall, behind which was his heart. Hearing an anguished scream, Ianto snapped out of his reverie, and cried as he listened to the tortured words. Ianto blocked his ears.

"Doctor! Don't leave! Don't leave... don't..."

***

After reading their mission briefings thoroughly, the CHERUBS hauled their suitcases into a car, and began the long overnight journey to Cardiff, Wales. Zara drove, while John sat twisted in the front passenger seat, quizzing the teenagers in the back.

"Kyle. Why are you in Cardiff?"

"Just got out of school, I'm a year early, and due to CHERUB I'm smart enough to fake that I've been moved up a year. Mum just died, dad's a nutter, so I'm on a gap- year with my foster parents (you and Zara) and my siblings (James and Lauren) and I'm looking for work. Because of CHERUB training, I should be able to get into Torchwood, because they'll need the extra manpower..."

"OK Kyle. James, Lauren, you're up."

"Kyle gets in Torchwood, sneaks us in, we gather evidence yada yada yada."

"Kyle and I visit Harkness, Lauren chats to the tourist office front people... mission over."

John smiled and turned to face front. When Kyle, Lauren and James were asleep, John spoke.

"I don't trust the government"

"I know"

"In my experience, I'd say he's innocent."

"I know."

"And we can't tell the kids or we'll get the same!"

"I know, John. I'm sorry."

John mulled over the reactions of the CHERUBS. They seemed rather too angry for John's liking...

***

Jack lay in his cell, and thought about what he hadn't told the team. What he hadn't told Ianto. Paedophilia. Rape. He'd admitted it. They'll think I'm guilty. He rolled over, vomited on the floor, and started shaking, as the two UNIT guards called for help.

***

James turned fitfully in his sleep, and his grimace went unnoticed.

"_Get off her, Ron! How dare you?" He ran into Lauren's room, saw her on the bed, Ron taking pictures. "She's mine, and I need some money. I have the right." James threw the camera on the floor and stamped on it, called the police. A kids prank, they called it. He'd removed the evidence, and Lauren was too young to understand..._

James' heart rate slowed as he thought of another paedophile, Harkness, rotting in prison.

***

Ianto fell asleep on the rigid plastic chair, and was gently woken by a police woman that reminded him of Gwen.

"UNIT has jurisdiction, but there's no law saying you have to sleep there. There's a spare cell opposite, with a bed, we can leave it open. Come on sweetheart."

Ianto stumbled into a fitful but well needed sleep.

***

Lauren woke, heart pounding, head reeling from a very unwanted memory.

"_Take off your kit."_

"_Do you do this often? I mean, raping a twelve year old?"_

Lauren thought of Harkness, and breathed a sigh of relief. One less rapist on the streets.

***

Gwen was staring at the ceiling, while lying in bed, Rhys snoring gently next to her. Tears rolled down her cheeks unchecked, while Gwen mentally profiled each UNIT guard.

Owen was in a bar, drinking a lemonade. As much as he wanted to drown his sorrows, being sober tomorrow might just leave him without any sorrows to drown. Writing feverishly in a notepad, he was confused when the ink was smudged by a drop of liquid.

Tosh stayed in the hub, staring at her computer screen and sobbing openly. The rift was stable, so no welcome distractions. She fell asleep in her chair, eyes unfocused and red.

***

Kyle's confused whirlwind of thoughts were overbearing. He sat in the back of the car, having woken up after Zara had finished talking. If this Jack Harkness was so evil, why was he so attractive? And he was gay... therefore giving them a bad name... but he was so hot... Kyle shut out his despairing thoughts and turned to anger.


End file.
